Iraqi Prime Minister Agrees With Obama’s Withdrawal Timeline?

• July 20, 2008

That’s what Reuters is reporting:

BERLIN (Reuters) – Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki told a German magazine he supported prospective U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama’s proposal that U.S. troops should leave Iraq within 16 months.
In an interview with Der Spiegel released on Saturday, Maliki said he wanted U.S. troops to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible.
“U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.”

This will no doubt have Obama and his disciples crowing given how much flak the messiah has been taking (from the left and the right) over his Iraq policy, but it’s worth noting that the only thing Maliki is agreeing with here is the 16 month time frame. He thinks his government and its security forces could take over in that amount of time, which frankly is something that makes Obama and the rest of the liberals who were declaring the war lost a year ago look like short-sighted idiots.
That Iraq will be capable of taking over in 16 months, at least in the opinion of the country’s elected (thanks to President Bush) leader, flies directly in the face of everything Obama and the Democrats have been telling us about Iraq since day one.
As for the time line itself, it’s worth noting that McCain would hand over Iraq to the Iraqis in 16 months and withdraw our troops if it turned out that the Iraqis were ready in that time line. The difference between McCain and Obama is that McCain is willing to stay beyond that 16 months to finish the mission.
Obama would abandon the Iraqis even if they needed us longer.

Tags: Asshats, Domestic Issues, Politics, The Loony Left

http://Array Buzz

flies directly in the face of everything Obama and the Democrats have been telling us about Iraq since day one.

No its not.
Hannitized

Either your reading comprehension is remarkably low or you do mind going along with dishonest interpretations as long as they conform to your politics

.

Holy hypocrites Batman.

Did it ever occur to Rob, that it is his opinion and interpretation that he has the right to express? Or are you the only one who has the right to screw things up by misinterpreting things and posting your misdiagnosis?
2Hotel9

Yes it is.
Halatbis

It all depends upon when the 16 months count-down starts doesn’t it? Does it start in 2009? Or after the advent of the next Halley’s comet, or when?
Nunez

Bush, in a Shift, Accepts Concept of Iraq Timeline
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/19/world/middleeast/19iraq.html?scp=1&sq=bush%20horizon&st=cse
crshedd

why does maliki hate america?

mccain is willing to stay until we think it’s okay to leave. can’t maliki live with that?
2Hotel9

Funny. I just finished reading an article at Al Jazeera on the same interview and he didn’t say anything even vaguely like what Al Reuters is reporting. From their article al-Maliki said the security situation inside Iraq will dictate the withdrawal of Coalition Forces. And that the UN will review the Coalition Mandate in that light.

That alters the landscape a bit.
http://ndgoon.blogspot.com/ goon

From Hot Air http://hotair.com/archives/2008/07/19/maliki-obamas-16-month-timetable-sounds-good/

Update: A commenter notes that Spiegel has rewritten the translation of the exchange about withdrawal to read as follows. There’s nothing in the article calling attention to the change; they’re trying to put one over on their readers, it seems.
SPIEGEL: Would you hazard a prediction as to when most of the US troops will finally leave Iraq?
Maliki: As soon as possible, as far as we’re concerned. U.S. presidential candidate Barack Obama talks about 16 months. That, we think, would be the right timeframe for a withdrawal, with the possibility of slight changes.
They’ve dropped the contingency about positive developments continuing, although it’s still implied by the part about potentially changing the plan. Did Maliki contact Spiegel and ask them to drop that part so that the quote would sound more assertive back home? Hard to believe the original translation would have been so off as to include a bit about “positive developments” that he never said.

Seems the translation by Obama was a little off…
Bat One

What’s being overlooked in all this is Maliki himself. He is obviously a shrewd politician who is merely trying to cover his bets. He probably hates being put in this position by the Obama campaign in the first place.
Halatbis

How about this? It all depends upon when the 16 months count-down begins, doesn’t it?
Hannitized

If you don’t see the difference between these two positions you’re stupid.

And that statement accurately reflects half of the misinterpretations you make when it comes to reading what Obama says.

It sort of makes the accusation of Hypocrisy stick. Without it….well. You should get the picture by now.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Nunez, from the article you link:

HOUSTON — President Bush agreed to “a general time horizon” for withdrawing American troops in Iraq, the White House announced Friday, in a concession that reflected both progress in stabilizing Iraq and the depth of political opposition to an open-ended military presence in Iraq and at home.

A “general time horizon” is not the same as Obama’s “I will end the war and pull the troops out on this specific date” no matter how the New York Times tries to spin it.

Either your reading comprehension is remarkably low or you do mind going along with dishonest interpretations as long as they conform to your politics.
http://sayanythingblog.com robport

Did it ever occur to Rob, that it is his opinion and interpretation that he has the right to express?

Bush supports a general time horizon. Obama supports withdrawal by a specific date.

If you don’t see the difference between these two positions you’re stupid.

SayAnythingBlog.com

Iraqi Prime Minister Agrees With Obama’s Withdrawal Timeline?

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